Thread remover for weft replenishing looms



Dec. 7, 1943.

A. L. JOSL IN THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLED IISHING LOOMS Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AsHsR L. Tos-Lm Patented Dec. 7, 1943 THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLEN- ISHING LOOMS Asher Langdon Joslin, Charlotte, N. 0., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,711

21 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved control mechanism for the threads of the outgoing and incoming bobbins at the time of replenishment.

When weft replenishment occurs in a weft replenishing loom a thread connected to the depleted bobbin extends from the selvage into the shuttle box. Unless this thread is removed before the next pick after replenishment it is likely to be drawn into the warp shed to form a thick place in the fabric being woven. It has been proposed heretofore to remove this thread by pneumatic mechanism including a tube the intake mouth of which is positioned to attract the thread. It is an important object of my present invention to employ a thread placer to facilitate removal of the thread by moving it toward the intake mouth.

The exhausted shuttle enters the shuttle box at the replenishing end of the loom as the lay is advancing and is completely boxed before the lay reaches its front center position. It is another object of my present invention to provide a thread placer which Will be under the shuttle as it enters the box on a replenishing beat of the loom and will then rise to place the thread favorably for removal by the pneumatic mechanism.

In the type of loom to which my invention more particularly relates to weft of the outgoing bobbin is cut adjacent to the shuttle delivery eye at the time of transfer and an air pump operated by the lay creates a partial vacuum within the thread remover tube on the backward stroke of the lay. The thread which extends from the point of cutting to the adjacent selvage may be held frictionally between the shuttle and the shuttle binder so that it will not be released until the time of picking. It is another object of my present invention to raise the aforesaid thread placer to lift the thread to a position near the intake mouth while the lay is at or adjacent to its forward position so that the thread can be attracted by the remover and held in favorable position for removal when the shuttle is picked.

It is another object of my present invention to mount the thread remover in a normally stationary position and move a Wire or similar form of thread placer toward the thread remover for the purpose of moving the thread of the outgoing bobbin to a point adjacent to the intake mouth of the remover.

Certain types of weft replenishing looms employ a normally stationary lever which is given an operative movement incident to transfer to set the automatic features of the m for operation. It is another object of my present invention to connect this lever to the thread placer in such a way that operation of the lever will cause the thread placer to move the thread to a position Where it can be removed by the pneumatic mechanism. The cam which operates the lever as heretofore used is modified to give the lever proper motions for operating the thread placer. Movement of the lever to raise the thread placer is delayed until the transfer operation has started. In this way the setting for transfer is not disturbed.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a thread guide or placer, such as a wire, which extends close to the intake mouth so that the thread will move along the placer toward the thread remover mouth.

It is still another O ject of my invention to provide a pneumatic thread remover having a t a y r a w dly fa ng inta e mo th f o wh h a t ead placin i e ex ends e w rdly a d al w ch the t read s ides toward the mouth as the lay advances. A hookor trap may be used to assist in holding the thread in forward position near the mouth as the lay recedes.

After transfer is completed the full bobbin in the shuttle has its Weft end extending to a thread holder. When the shuttle is first picked after transfer the thread 'unWinds from the bobbin due to the fact that it is held at the thread holder but the shuttle is not ordinarily threaded. It is another object of my present invention to control the aforesaid thread placer in such a manner that it will cause the thread of the incoming bobbin to assume a low position and extend along the top of the shuttle to effect at least a partial threading thereof. This result I may accomplish by causing the thread placer to be in raised position above the path of the shuttle subsequent to transfer so that the shuttle can pass under it at the time of picking. The thread placer wire in its raised position may Joe-approximately in line with the plane of the top warp shed of the loomand is near the mouth of the shuttle box at .a considerable distance from the adjacent selvage, hence the thread which is attached to the thread holder is held down in a position favorable for threading of the Shuttle egrlgin its flight and :beforeentering the Warn 5 e if the shuttle is improperly positioned revoking mechanism will cancel the setting and prevent, a transfer. So far as I am aware thread controls as heretofore proposed have depended for their operation upon actual transfer and failure of a called transfer to be completed has resulted in non-operation of the thread control mechanism.

In the for of thread controller set forth here inafter the thread is not out unless transfer is completed and the placer is so operated that it performs its functions whenever a transfer is called independently of completion of transfer. The result of this mode of operation is that the shuttle is caused to pass on one side of the thread placer when entering the shuttle box and passes on the other side when next picked out of the shuttle box, thereby forming a loop extending between the selvage and the thread placer if the called transfer is revoked. This loop gives visual indication to the weaver that the shuttle is not boxing correctly, and this condition can then be corrected before the filling fork stops the loom and-a short pick is left in the shed.

- With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides'in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of part of a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a view looking at the upper left hand part of Fig. 1 from the center of the loom showing the thread placer and associated parts,-

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1 showing the lever by which the thread placing wire is controlled,

- Fig. 4 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrows 4, Fig. 3,

-Fig. 5 is a detailed rear elevation looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 2, showing the in- ..take mouth of the stationary pneumatic re- .mover,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line liliv of Fig. 1 showing the controller mechanism which calls a replenishing operation of the loom,

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 1, Fig. 1 andshowing the relation of the thread placer with respect to the thread of the outgoing bobbin,

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig.7 but showing the relation of the thread placer with respect to the thread of the incoming bobbin, and

Fig. 9, is a plan View on an enlarged scale looking in the direction of arrow 9, Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the loom frame I!) is provided with top and bottom shafts H and [2, re-

spectively, which operate as usual, that is, the top shaft makes two rotations for each rotation of the bottom shaft. The lay L is driven by connectors l3 which are reciprocated by the top shaft II and is provided with a shuttle box B under a weft replenishing magazine M which may conveniently be of the multi-color type to supply more than one kind of reserve weft.

The shaft I2 has secured thereto a cam l5 which causes an actuator lever I6 to rock in a trolling fingers 24 and to the left.

clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 every second pick of the loom. A dog I! on lever I5 is normally positioned as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and customarily has an idle upward motion on non-replenishing beats of the loom. When exhaustion occurs, however, the dog will be moved to the left or to thefull lineposition in Fig. 6 so that it engages a lug 58. on a normally stationary control lever I9. Both levers rock about a fixed stud 25 and their interconnection by the dog is controlled by a weft detector D which energizes a solenoid iii the core 22 of which as can be seen from Fig. 6 will lift a trip 23 and move one or the other of the con- As shown in Fig. 6 'the finger 25 has been thus moved so that it will engage the dog as the lever I 6 rises r and move the dogunder lug l S.

The magazine M may be mounted to rock about a fixed pivot 35 and is connected by link 3!, lever '32, link 33 and hook 34 to a positioning lever 35.

A connector 36 controlled from the opposite side of the loom by some part associated with the shifting shuttle boxmechanism not shown isattached to the bottom of lever 35 and effects rocking of the latter to either of its two operating positions. A stud 37 on the normally stationary control lever i9 engages the hook 34 to rock the magazine if such movement is required on replenishing beats of the loom. A rod 38 connects lever 35 to a sliding yoke 39 which carries the previously described indicator fingers 24 and 25.

The electrical Weft detector D is connected to the solenoid and acts to energize the latter whenever the shuttle S in the shuttle box 13 is exhausted of weft. This indication by the detector is given when the shuttle is on the magazine side of the loom and the resultant energization of the solenoid, which occurs when the dog 87 is down, causes movement of one or the other of the fingers 24 and 25, as'already described. When the shuttle returns to the magazine end of the loom from the opposite end on a subsequent pick the upward motion of lever l6 lifts lever l 9.

The loom is provided with a stationary air pump 49 having a cylinder' il in which moves -W which extend outwardly from the reserve bobbins in the magazine M. As the lay moves rearwardly the piston 42 creates a partial vacuum in the pneumatic tubes and thread accumulator,

thereby inducing a draft of air into the thread holder 50 to draw the thread ends toward the accumulator and at the same time drawing air through tube 48 toward the accumulator.

As shown in Fig. 9 the boxed shuttle has a bobbin or weft carrier C from which the thread T extends through the delivery eye E of the shuttle and along the front wall of the latter and behind the shuttle binder 52. The latter is perforated at 53 to receive a thread cutter 55 which cooperates with a small metal plate 55 on the front wall of the shuttle and across which the thread T-extends.- At the timeof transfer the "cured as at 84 to the loom frame. is on the outside of the loomside and projects thread cutter moves rearwardly against the metal plate to cut the thread, andthat part of the thread to the right of the cutter is removed by expulsion of the empty bobbin. That part of the thread to the left of the cutter, however, remains attached to the selvage of the fabric F and should be removed to prevent drawing thereof into the warp shed. A

A rod 56 attached to lever l9 extends upwardly to operate a transfer latch 51 for engagement by a dagger 58 on the lay and also place a shuttle feeler 59 in shuttle detecting position. When rod 56 rises the loom is set for a transferring operation and this setting is completed before dagger 53 reaches the raised latch during advance of the lay.

The matter thus far described, except as hereinafter indicated, may be made in the usual manner and reference may be had to the following patents for a further description of the structure and operation of the matter thus far described: 2,054,192; 2,199,353 and 2,199,354.

In carrying my present invention into effect I connect the tube 48 to a metallic tube 60 having an intake mouth at the lower end thereof for the reception of thread. A sheet metal fin 62 secured to the front of tube is welded or otherwise fastened to a rod 63 which extends forwardly over the breast beam 64 forming part of the loom frame. A bracket 65 secured to a stand 66 forming part of the magazine overhangs a part of rod 63 and cooperates with the breast beam to hold the tube in fixed position. The rod 63 and clamp or bracket are so related as to hold a perforation T2 in the lip Bl. The wire 70 then extends rearwardly through a vertical heddle l3 and has the rear end thereof connected to a spring M anchored at to a fixed part of the loom. The upper end of the heddle is connected to a spring 16 anchored to the loom frame as at 11, while the lower end of the heddle is attached by cord or connector to a lever 81 pivoted as at 82 to a small stand 83 bolted or otherwise se- The stand 83 toward the previously described lever iii, and the latter is provided with a lifter 85 secured thereto as at 8B for engagement with a finger 81 on lever 85 to the right of pivot $52 as viewed in Fig. 3.

In operation, lever It and therefore the lifter 85 will normally be down so that spring l6 can hold the heddle and lever 8i normally in the raised position suggested by full lines in Figs.

2 and 3 to keep the wire it? above the path of 3, thereby lowering the heddle 13 to depress the wire ill to a position below the path of the shuttle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 so that the shuttle can pass over the wire 10 as it approaches and enters the shuttle box B. The lay has a transverse slot to accommodate the wire 10 to prevent interference with the shuttle. As the shuttle is boxed its weft thread T therefore extends from the selvage over the wire H1 into the shuttle box where it is cut by the cutter 54 when the lay reaches front center.

The cam I5 is so shaped that in addition to causing rocking of the magazine if the latter be necessary and also setting of the magazine parts for transfer, it also effects down motion of lever 16 after the transferring operation has started and when the lay is near its forward position, either before or shortly after the lay has reached front center position, but preferably before. The lever I9 is therefore lowered at this time by spring 22 and the weight of the parts carried by the front end of lever l9, and spring 76 can therefore lift the heddle and also lever 81 due to descent of the lifter 85, and as the heddle rises it lifts wire 10 to its normal raised position shown in full lines, Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 9 the weft thread T extends diagonally forwardly from the fabric F to the shuttle box when the lay is at front center due to the fact that the front wall of the shuttle is in front of the reed line and the thread therefore is moved forwardly along wire 10 toward the intake mouth 6|. The thread passes in front of and is held by a small hook 93 on wire 'lil located behind the mouth. The inrush of air into the thread remover which starts as soon as the lay begins its rearward movement attracts the thread T which is near the mouth at this time, and as soon as the right end of the thread is free it will be drawn upwardly into the mouth 6|. When the shuttle S is picked it passes under the wire 10 and the right end of the thread T, which may follow the shuttle under wire if), is held by the latter in position to be drawn into the intake mouth. At some subsequent forward beat of the lay the thread T is severed by the temple cutter 94 and the whole of the thread T is thereafter drawn into the mouth GI and to the accumulator 41.

The cam I5 is similar to cams previously used on the type of loom more particularly set forth herein but differs from them in that it is modified to effect up motion of the thread placing wire at the proper time in the loom cycle. The cam has an incline which starts at lflfl and is effective when the lay is near its forward position and the depleted shuttle is at the opposite end of the loom to lift the forward end of lever l9 if replenishment is to occur on the next beat of the loom. This incline continues approximately to a point I02 somewhat before the lay reaches bottom center position to effect down motion of the wire Iii to a position below the path of the shuttle before the latter reaches the wire when approaching box B. The cam then has a dwell surface I63 which continues from bottom center to some point It! preferably before front center but subsequent to engagement of the lay dagger with the transferrer latch. From point it, the cam face declines as at with resultant downward motion of lever l9 to permit up motion of the wire it! by the spring 16. At some such point as iii the lay will be in front center position and the Wire will have been lifted sufficiently to facilitate forward movement of the thread toward the intake mouth 6!. The thread at this time is in front of the hook 93 on the wire and as the lay starts to move rearwardly the wire continues to rise to move the thread closer to the intake mouth as the partial vacuum in the tube 60 increases due to rearward movement of the lay.

At top center when the lay has moved approximately half of its rearward stroke the decline of the cam will have reached a point such as: I01 and the wire 10 will have been raised suiiiciently to permit the shuttle to pass under it. The continued upward movement of the wire moves the thread closer and closer to the intake mouth and when the shuttle is eventually picked to free the thread which has previously been cut in the shuttle box the right end of the thread as viewed in Fig. 8 for instance will be drawn into the thread remover as already described. While I have described specific points along the contour of the cam I do not wish necessarily to be limited to the exact location shown.

At the time of transfer the incoming bobbin will have its free end held by the thread holder 50 as suggested in Fig. 8 and this thread, designated at T in Fig. 3, will pass under the wire 10 as the shuttle is picked. The wire is lower than the intake mouth of the thread holder 58 and holds the thread T substantially on a level with the top of the shuttle, thereby assisting the shuttle to thread itself as it passes through the shed.

The operation of certain features of my invention are a distinct help to the weaver in determining whether a called transfer is revoked. It will be understood that the operating lever l9 moves whenever transfer is called and causes the thread placer first to be lowered and then raised to cause the shuttle to pass on opposite sides of it in successive flights. If a called transfer is revoked by a misplaced shuttle transfer will not occur but the thread placing wire will have performed its function and when the shuttle is next picked out of the shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom subsequent to revocation the placer forms a loop of weft extending from it to the selvage. This loop can be formed because the cutter does not operate unless transfer is completed, and it gives a visual indication to the weaver that an initiated transfer has been revoked. The conditions causing the revocation, such as defective picking or shuttle checking, can then be corrected without risk that a 'sort weft, requiring removal, will be left in the shed. In

previously used thread removers this advantage has not been present because of the fact that their operation has depended upon completion as distinguished from calling of a transferring operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means for controlling both the threads of the incoming and outgoing bobbins at the time of transfer in a weft replenishing loom; The wire 10 is in low position to permit the shuttle to pass over it on the transferring beat of the loom and is thereafter raised to lift the thread T and move the latter toward the intake mouth 6| of the thread motor. This upward movement of the thread by the wire permits the thread remover to be held in fixed position on the loom frame. Itwill further be seen that the lever l9 which moves only incidental to a replenishing operation controls the position of the wire 70 both as to its high and low positions. It will also be seenthat the'wire iii is ledforwardly to a position adjacent to the intake mouth of the thread remover, preferably though not necessarily being held by the lip 61 so. that as the thread T advances along the raised and downwardly and forwardly inclined wire it will bedirected to the intake mouth 6|. The descent of lever l9 which causes up motion of wire 10 occurs after replenishment has started so that the setting for transfer is not disturbed. It will further be seen that the threadof the incoming bobbin passes under wire 10 and is held down by the latter in the position which facilitates threading of the shuttle.

It will further be seen that the thread placer operates whenever the magazine is set for trans:- fer irrespective of whether that transfer is revoked or completed, and that revocation of a transfer will leave a loop of weft extending from the placer to the selvage to give visual indication that the shuttle is not being properly positioned for transfer.

Havingrthus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage,

means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a thread placer adjacent to the intake mouth, a part having motion incident to weft replenishing operations of the loom, and mechanism controlled by said part incident to movement thereof first to locate the thread placer under the path of the shuttle to cause the latter and the thread thereof to pass over the thread placer on weft replenishing beats of the loom and thereafter raise said thread placer to cause the latter to lift the thread to a position adjacent to said intake mouth.

2. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a wire extending rearwardly from a position adjacent to the intake mouth and over the lay, a part having a movement incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, and control mechanism for said wire operatively connected to said part and caused by the latter when said part has said movement first to cause the wire to be under the shuttle and the thread connected thereto as the shuttle enters the box and thereafter raise the wire to lift the thread to a position adjacent to said intake mouth.

3. In thread control mechanism for a wait replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the. selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, alip on said thread remover extending below the intake mouth, a wire leading from said lip rearwardly, a member normally stationary but having a motion incident to a transferring operation of the loom, and control mechanism for the wire operatively connected to said member and caused by the latter first to position the wire below the path of the shuttle so that the latter and the thread thereof passes over the wire and thereafter lift the wire and cause the latter to raise the thread to aiposition adjacent to the intake mouth. H

4. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a thread placing wire which is normally raised and inclined downwardly and forwardly to a position adjacent to the intake mouth, a member normally stationary but having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom,

and control mechanism for the wire operatively related tosaidmember and actuated by the latter when the same has said movement to cause the wire to be below the normal position thereof so that the shuttle and thread connected thereto passes over the wire when the shuttle entersthe shuttle box and thereafter return the wire to normal position to lift the thread and direct the latter toward the intake mouth.

5. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake month between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a member normally stationary but having a movement incident to the replenishing operation' of the loom, a thread placer extending rearwardly from the intake mouth over the lay and the path normally traversed by the shuttle on non-replenishing beats of the loom, and control mechanism for said thread placer operatively connected to said member and caused by the latter to lower the thread placer to a position below the path of the shuttle on replenishing beats of the loom to cause the shuttle and thread connected thereto to pass over the thread placer as the lay moves forwardly and thereafter raise the thread placer to cause the latter to move the thread toward the intake mouth prior to the next picking operation of the shuttle.

6. In thread control mechanism fora weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a thread placer normally in raised position above the path traversed by the shuttle on non-replenishing picks of the loom, a member having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom prior to the time of boxing of the shuttle at the replenishing end of the loom, and control mechanism for the thread placer operated by said member and caused by the latter to lower the thread placer to a position below the path traversed by the shuttle during forward movement of the lay before the shuttle reaches said thread placer on its movement across the lay toward said box and thereafter lift the thread placer to move the thread toward the intake mouth prior to the picking operation of the shuttle occurring during the next succeeding backward motion of the lay.

7. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw thread into sa d remover. a flexible but normally taut wire extending rearwardly over the lay from a point adjacent to the intake mouth, spring actuated means normally holding said wire above the path traversed by the shuttle on non-replenishing beats of the loom, a lever normally stationary but having an operative movement on replenishing beats of the loom, and means operated by the lever and operatively connected to said spring actuated means first to lower the wire to a position below the path of the shuttle when said lever has said operative movement to cause the shuttle to pass over the I wire as said shuttle enters said box and thereafter cause the wire to be lifted by said spring actuated means to raise the thread to a position adjacent to said intake mouth.

8. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent salvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the salvage. means to induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, a normally stationary lever, a cam operative on replenishing beats of the loom to cause said lever to set the loom for a replenishing operation, a thread placer, and operating means for said thread placer connecting the latter to said lever, said cam having provision for giving the lever a movement additional to the movement required to set the loom for a replenishing opera-. tion to cause said thread placer to move the '1 tread of the outgoing bobbin toward said intake mouth. f

9. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a shuttlebox to receive a shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, a stationary pneumatic thread remover having tively connected to said replenishing mechanism, a cam connected to the lever and operative on replenishing beats of the loom to cause said lever to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation; a thread placer, operating mechanism for said thread placer connecting the latter to said lever, means normally holding the thread placer above the path of the shuttle, said cam effective to move the lever to locate the thread placer under the path traversed by theshuttle as the latter approaches the shuttle box on replenishing beats of the loom and thereafter cooperating with said last named means to effect upward movement of the thread placer to lift the thread toward the intake mouth.

10. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing an exhausted shuttle from which a thread extends to an adjacent selvage, the loom having a supply of reserve weft from which thread ends extend to a thread holder and having provision for replenishing the shuttle from said reserve weft and subsequently picking it, a pneumatic thread remover having an intake mouth to receive said thread due to pneumatic attraction, a member having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom, a thread placer, and control mechanism for the thread placer operated by said member and caused by the latter to be under the path traversed by the exhausted shuttle as the latter ap proaches the shuttle box on a replenishing beat of the loom and thereafter lift the placer to a position above the path traversed by the shuttle to lift the thread extending from the 'selvage to a position adjacent to the intake mouth and also cause the thread extending from the thread holder to the replenished shuttle to pass under said thread placer when the shuttle is picked to facilitate threading of the shuttle.

1 11. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve Wefts the weft ends of which extend to a thread holder and operating with a lay having a shuttle box containing an exhausted shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, a reserve Weft when inserted into the exhausted shuttle having a weft end thereof extending to a thread holder, a pneumatic thread remover having an intake mouth to receive said thread due to pneumatic attraction, a normally stationary part having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom, a thread con: troller for the thread extending from the selvage to the exhausted shuttle and also for the thread extending from the thread holder to the replenished shuttle, and control mechanism for the thread controller operated by said member and caused by the latter to locate the thread controller under the thread extending from the exhausted shuttle to the selvage on replenishing beats of the loom and thereafter raise the thread controller to a position above the path traversed by the shuttle to lift the thread extending from the selvage to a position adjacent to said intake mouth and also cause the thread extending from the thread holder to the replenished shuttle to pass under the thread controller to facilitate threading of the shuttle when the latter is picked' 12. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, a stationary pneumaticthread remover having an intake mouth into which threads are drawn by pneumatic attraction, a flexible thread placing wire extending rearwardly from said intake mouth, a heddle through which the wire extends, resilient means normally holding the heddle and wire in raised position, a lever having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom, and control mechanism between said lever and heddle to lower the latter to position the wire under the path traversed by the shuttle as the latter approaches the shuttle box on a replenishing beat of the loom to cause the shuttle and thread thereof to pass over said wire and thereafter cause said resilient means to be effective to lift the heddle to raise the wire for the purpose of lifting the thread to a position adjacent to said intake mouth.

13. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay-provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle with a delivery eye from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage and wherein provision is made for cutting said thread at a point between said eye and the selvage on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between said eye and the selvage, means to induce a draft of air into-said mouth to draw the thread into said remover, an actuating lever having working and return strokes incident to a replenishing operation of the loom, a thread placer normally. above the path of the shuttle, an operating lever connected to said placer and operatively engaging said actuating lever and moved by the latter on a working stroke thereof to lower'saidplacer below the shuttle path to cause the shuttle and thread thereof to pass over said placer on replenishing beats of the loom, and means controlled by said operating lever as said actuating lever has a return stroke to lift said placer to move said thread toward said intake mouth.

14. In a thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay and a shuttle which enters a shuttle box on the lay as the latter advances and is picked as the lay moves rearwardly, the shuttle having a thread extending therefrom when in said box to the adjacent selvage and propneumatically to attract a thread adjacent to said mouth, a thread placer between said shuttle box and selvage normally raised above the path of the shuttle, a member having a movement incident to a replenishing operation of the loom, and connections between said placer and member controlled by the latter to lower said placer to a position below the path of the shuttle prior to arrival of the shuttle at said placer as the lay advances and the shuttle approaches said shuttle box and thereafter raise said placer when the lay is adjacent to its forward position to move said thread toward said intake mouth before the shuttle is picked on the following backward motion of the lay.

,. 15. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle which travels along ra path to and froma shuttle box on'a lay-and whereinprovision is made to cut the thread Whichextends from the shuttle to the adjacentselvage at a point in; the shuttle box,

a stationary pneumatic thread remover having an intake mouth into which a draft of air moves to attract a thread pneumatically into the remover, a thread placer, and means to locate the placer below said path as the shuttle moves toward said shuttle box to cause the thread to pass over the placer and thereafter raise said placer and cause the latter to move the thread toward said intake mouth before the shuttle is next picked out of said shuttle box to cause the shuttle and thread, should the latter fail to enter the intake mouth, to pass under said placer.

16. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, the thread moving forwardly as the lay approaches its front position and the loom having provision for cutting the thread in the shuttle box on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary intake mouth between the shuttle box and the selvage and in which a draft of air is drawn as the lay moves rearwardly, a thread placer under the shuttle as the latter approaches the shuttle box on replenishing beats of the loom to cause a shuttle and thread to pass over said placer, a member having a movement incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, means to hold the thread in a forward position after it has been moved to such a position by forward movement of the lay, and means connected to said placer and controlled by said member to raise said placer on said replenishing beat of the loom to lift said thread while being held in said forward position to said intake mouth.

17. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing 100m having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, the thread moving forwardly a the lay advances toward the front position thereof and the loom having provision for cutting said thread in the shuttle box on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a pneumatic thread remover having a stationary rearwardly facing mouth between the shuttle box and the selvage and in which a draft of air is drawn as the lay moves rearwardly from the forward position thereof, a thread placer extending rearwardly from said intake mouth, trap means controlled by said placer to engage the thread and hold the latter in the forward position to which it is moved by the lay, and mechanism to locate the thread placer below the path of the shuttle on weft replenishing beats of the loom to cause the shuttle and thread to pass over said placer and thereafter raise the placer and cause the latter in cooperation with said trap means to lift the thread to a position adjacent to said mouth.

18. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extend to the adjacent selvage, the loom having weft replenishing mechanism settable to replenish the weft in the shuttle but revocable if the shuttle is improperly placed, the loom having cutter mechanism to cut the thread on those picks of the loom only when a replenishing operation is completed, thread control mechanism including a thread placer, and means operative whenever the replenishing mechanism is set for operation regardless of whether replenishment is completed to cause said thread placer to move in such manner as to form a loop in said thread extending from said placer to the selvage to provide a visual indication that the called replenishing operation has been revoked.

19. In a weft replenishing loom having mechanism to initiate replenishment of a shuttle in a shuttle box from which a thread extends to the selvage and having means to revoke the replenishment initiated by said mechanism if the shuttle is improperly placed in said shuttle box, a thread engaging member and control mechanism for said member operative whenever replenishment is initiated to cause said member to shift from one side of the path of the shuttle to the other side of said path between entry of the shuttle into said shutter box and subsequent picking of the shuttle from said shuttle box to cause said member to form a loop in said thread when an initiated replenishing operation is revoked, thereby giving visual indication by said loop of thread that revocation of an initiated replenishing operation has occurred.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extends to th adjacent selvage, the loom having weft replenishing mechanism settable to replenish the weft in the shuttle but revocable if the shuttle is improperly placed, the loom having cutter mechanism to out the thread on those picks of the loom only when a replenishing operation is completed, a member having a movement when replenishment is called and operatively connected to said mechanism to cause the latter to initiate replenishment, an element spaced from the adiacent selvage for engagement with said thread, and control means for said element operatively connected to said member and element and caused by said member when the latter has said movement to operate the element and cause the latter to engage the thread to form a loop therein extending between the element and selvage when the shuttle is picked out of said box in the event that the first named means revokes the initiated replenishing operation, thereby giving visual indication by said loop that the shuttle was improperly placed in said shuttle box.

21. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box containing a shuttle from which a thread extends to the adjacent selvage, the loom having weft replenishing mechanism normally idle but settable for a transferring operation which will be revoked if the shuttle is improperly positioned with respect to the replenishing mechanism, a thread placer mounted for vertical movement transversely of the path of the shuttle, an operating lever having a movement only on beats of the loom when replenishment is called, connections from said lever to said replenishing mechanism to set the latter for a replenishing operation whenever said lever has said movement, and control connections between said lever and said thread placer operated when said lever has said movement to move said placer in such manner as to cause the shuttle to pass on one side of the placer when the shuttle enters the shuttle box on a beat of the loom for which a replenishing operation has been called and pass on the opposite side of said placer when the shuttle is next picked from said shuttle box, failure of said replenishing mechanism to perform a replenishing operation due to misplacement of the shuttl resulting in the formation of a weft loop extending from said placer to the selvage and serving as a visual indication that a called transfer has been revoked.

ASHER LANGDON JOSLICN. 

